Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Report Of Man With Gun In Northwestern Law Building

A Chicago TV station has spoken with a law student inside the building, who said that about 50 students were inside for a first-year lecture when reports came in of an armed man spotted in an elevator on the building's 11th floor. The man appeared to be carrying a gun in his waistband, the story says.

That's pretty much all the news out there for now. Northwestern officials have told everyone in the building to lock themselves in their offices, and the student who communicated with media via his cell phone reported that people are laying low and staying away from doors and windows. The student said people were "calm" despite the situation.

Well at least I tried to be honest about what it is like to work for these solo guys and how they are always hitting me. At 45, I don't claim to be much to look at, but I wasn't so bad in the day. There is nothing I would not do for some steady work as a lawyer and yes, I know what that means at a small male firm.

In one interview I had at a small firm in Brooklyn the partner said to another guy in the office in front of me how people would do anything to get the job even hook, and the other guy said I wasn't half bad and could hook if I wanted.

Now at this point I am willing to wear a diaper carry a whip or whatever. Just get me out of this cycle of unemployment and debt.

2:06 You are hilarious. Girl, I think we are in the same boat!! Although I am older, frankly don't give a rat's ass about the old, ugly, nerdy, saggy-assed and yellow-toothed loser lawyers - [back in the day I was able to land some fairly cute and monied dudes] - but still get hit on by creepy solos/small firm - which I never understand. They must be desperate. I have to imagine getting raped in prison by a moutachioed lesbian in order to prevent myself from clubbing their geeky heads. Especially these days as I not only struggle with debt, unemployment but also a terminally ill parent. I too am ready to wear a diaper [!] whatever it takes. I do wish you luck - [you really made me laugh!!]

OK, let me start off by saying that the position we have open is not for everyone. If you have huge student loans, this job isn't for you. If you have a family to support, this job isn't for you. If you have expensive habits, this job isn't for you. Yes we know how expensive law school is. We know how expensive gasoline is, and what it costs to live on Long Island. We live here; we practice here; and trust me, we have a really good idea what it costs to practice law here and what the economy is doing to our client base. We'd love to be able to pay more, and sustain our practice, we can't - at least not right now. So if you can't work for the sum offered, don't apply and there is no need to be rude, at least we're making a job available. Think of the 100's if not 1000's of New York and Long Island firms that are contracting and not making any positions available. It's rough out there. At least we're still trying.

I know this has nothing to do directly with the legal profession, but everyone should note that when a huge company like Verizon announces job cuts this big, they aren't completely getting rid of all those positions -- they couldn't. Most of those jobs are undoubtedly what they consider fungible, i.e., like call center people, and they are switching most of these jobs to India and other countries. Just another 13,000 livelihoods in the unraveling of America.

Why should this be of interest here? It is of interest because the same trend is happening in our profession, and it hasn't really even begun yet.

When the last transactional or IP junior associate at BigLaw please shut the lights as s/he leaves the building, and remove the American flag and the bust of Abraham Lincoln from the room. Don't let the door hit you on your big, lazy American butt!

Now we'll see how many gung-ho young free market capitalists and Federalist Society members are out there in law-law land.

Please do the world a favor and blow up Northwestern law school. Put all law school study for free on the Internet. These bloated schools can be converted into public housing (for out of work lawyers and their graduates, also).